Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-12-21
RAILROAD SENSATION.
FORTY PITrSBURG AND LAKE ERIB OPPI
GALS SUSPENDED.
Notified Tha. Their. Services are no Longer Needed,
and Auditors Will Examine Their Accounts
What the Suspensions hsan-Sus-
piciOns Of CrookdneSs.

PITTsBURG, December 20.-John Henry,
travelling passenger agent Of the Pittsburg
and Lake Erie Railroad, and a number OF
other officials and clerks in the passenger
department and ticket Office, yesterday
received carefully worded notifications
signed by President John Newell aud Gen.
eral Superintendent Holbrook, signifying
that their presence would not be required
at their respective desks for few days, as
the books OF the department were being
audited to get ready for the system of
handling tickets about to be adopted by
the management. This is the beginning
OF series of del elopments in the passen-
ger department of the Pittsburg aud Lake
Erie Railroad, which promise to assume
the proportions Of the recent startling dis
closures in the freight department OF the
Panhandle.
For months the high officials of the road
have suspected that something very loose
or something positively crooked has existed
in the ticket sales and receipts OF the road
and within few weeks they have obtained
proof that they were being Systematically Y
robbed, bnt where, by whom, or 10 what
extent can only he told after a careful in
vestigation of the books and accounts of
the whole department. II is thought that
counterfeit tickets are in existence, and
from the system of ticket accounts kept by
the company it would hardly he possible,
without collusion, for the fraud 10 I've per
petrated.
In IN interview the General Supcrinten-
dent said: mo person is accused of de-.
lrauiing the road there has been some very
careless work done, however, and this We
propose 10 put right. Ii anything crooked
exists, il will be found and investigated
To do this we thought hest TO give the an.
ditor and his clerks full chance and have
merely laid Of these men for the time be-
ing.
There are some very peculiirIticke Is used
on the road, and propose TO ind ont
whether they come from our own clerks,
ticket brokers, or other sources"
The developments in the Investigations
concerning the Lake Erie road troubles,
are increasing in interest. All the officials
in the Passenger Agents department, in
cludng the chief, have been temporarily
relieved, and their desks are occupied by
auditors.
This afternoon General Passenger Agent
4. d. Smith wss included among those
temporarily relieved from duty. The sus-
pension of Mr.. Smith caused considerable
surprise among both the employees and the
officials OF the road, but it is not looked
upon AZ serious matter, and ii is stated
that the only reason he was suspended WAS
so that the auditors could have full charge
of everything in his Office 1t is stated
that other employees will be suspend
ed within the next twcniy-!Our
hours, and that the man who
is implicated more than any other is still at
work The number OF suspensions up to
two o'clock this afternoon were forty,
which includes all the employees in the
passenger, auditing and ticket depart
ments What first excited the suspicious
of the officials were some queer trausac-
tons with several theatrical companies. IL
is alleged that rates were made with the
companies, and that tie man making the
contract receives q rebate.